Hairmetal_still_rox!

Well, the vette has been sitting for too long this winter and the old battery is gone. Want to upgrade to an Otima Red Top battery. Any experiences with these in c4s? Both good an bad? The local guys at the auto parts stores were not helpful for a part number and fitment. Anyone konw what part number I will need since they do come in various sizes? Any info or advice on putting one of these in a c4 would be much appreciated. Thanks - Bill

AKS Racing

Optima red top located behind passenger seat under speaker in '87 convertable. It has been in the car since 2002 with no issues. It fits perfect in that loaction.

Aaron

Hairmetal_still_rox!

Will it fit on the stock battery location?

CoffeeDrip

I just put on in the '85. The only thing I need to do is trim down two little tabs that stick out on the battery tray. It's only about 1/8". I can take a pic & post what tabs am talking about it you like.

nearmiss

I bought one for my '96 about a year ago and it didn't fit in the standard battery holder. The battery posts (don't remember which one) rubbed against something. There were some notes on the forum about that time suggesting sawing off the top posts, but that seems a little cheesy to me. If you decide to buy one, be sure you can return it if necessary. Also, you might want to check out the Optima web site. I just did a search for a battery for a '96 LT1 and got no matches.

cv67

Same on my 89. I just left it, no issues.

CoffeeDrip

Here are some pics. cuisinartvette. Yeah, it will definity fit without cutting them, but I am going to. As much as I have done so far, might as well

jfb

Lead acid batteries don't like sitting doing nothing for long periods (4+ wks), conventional or Optima. Lead acid batteries self discharge up to 1% daily even disconnected and as they discharge, lead sulphate collects on their plates and lead sulphate is a good insulator. A fully sulphated battery is a door stop. Always keep your battery charged and the best way to do this is to buy and use a battery tender which measures the battery voltage and charges it when it gets low and then turns off. If you already have a battery charger, then buy an interval timer (turns your house lights on each evening when you aren't home) and connect it to your charger and charge your battery each day for its minimum interval, usually 15 mins, but an hour won't hurt your battery. You can safely charge a battery with it connected. Personally I don't know why you would want an Optima battery. They don't last any longer than a conventional battery and they cost almost twice a good conventional battery. Also, consumers report has tested them and they don't have the amphour capacity claimed.

Hairmetal_still_rox!

Wow, I didnt know the Optima isnt what it is cracked up to be, thanks for the info as now I may reconsider

Hairmetal_still_rox!

Excellent pix, thanks for taking the time to do this.

Dale1990

I put an Optima in my 90 and it fits just fine. The support brace above the positive post just barely touched the red plastic cap so I tapped the brace with a die grinder to give a little clearance - not really necessary but I wanted the peace of mind. My Dad has one in his 86 and it required no mods at all.

The only reason I can see to using an Optima over a normal battery is that it is sealed and can not leak (under normal usage). I don't remember what brand was in my car before but it leaked all over the place and really messed up the frame under the tray. All the attaching bolts for the tray were completly destroyed - not fun removing that.

Otherwise, they are just as tempermental as a normal battery - perhaps more so as I was able to kill mine after only 2 years.

My $0.02

cv67

Ive been more than pleased with Optima red tops over the years. Not one time have they ever let me down, well worth the money.

garvette91

I Put A Duel Terminal Red Top In My 91 And Had To Cut The Inside Of The Tray . I Didnt Have To Cut The Outer Tabs .if You Cut The Outer Tabs Make Sure That It Doesnt Hit Your Side Panel. I Also Hade To Make Some Mods To The Cruise Control Bracket. Im Not Real Handy With The Tools But It Was A Fairly Easy Job.

sami85L98

coffeedrip: very cool pics, if i would of know this earlier i would have ended with one, but already bought interstate.

bowtie350_428

Good Job CoffeeDrip. I been kinda curious myself.

mik

The Optima battery is a different technology. The electrolyte is absorbed in a mat material so there is no liquid to leak. You could even mount the battery sideways if you wanted to. The optima also has a different ability to cycle. You can discharge the optima to a further extent than a normal battery. They would perform better for someone that only drives a car for part of the year. I'm not sure how long they can sit without being charged, but it is longer than a normal battery.

You need a group size 75 battery for a stock installation. The Red Top is group 75. Some people can install with no modifications and others do have an issue with the top posts rubbing on the ECM bracket. The Red Top is dual terminal (it has both top and side posts). Not sure what years are a problem.

I store my car off-site during the winter. I remove the battery and charge it once a month. I have had no problems. I use a regular battery, but the Optima is better. Exide also has a spiral cell battery (same as Optima). Maybe they have one that fits better, again you need group size 75. If theirs doesn't have the top posts it would fit better.

Alvin

You guys haven't had any problems with yours?

Mine have been terrible. I've gone threw around 5 in one of my cars (free replacement) If you let it go down just a hair bit it will not come back to life like a normal batter would.

TimV SR

Put one in my '85 last summer. No problems.

zaragoza

I put one in my 86 a little over a year ago, and have had no problems with it. And there was no problems with the install.

96BLKTN

Don't do it. They are a POS.. I went threw 2 and finally just got a Costco battery for $40 it starts the car better holds a charge better and is STILL working. I wouldn' put an Optima in ANYTHING...